Staff at Sheffield Hallam University to strike over threat of job cuts

Sheffield Hallam, which employs around 4,500 people, said an anticipated drop in international student recruitment would require it to cut staffing costs to maintain a “healthy financial position”.

However, UCU accused the university of launching “a wholesale attack” on staff and students.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady labeled the proposed cuts “outrageous”.

She said: “It is disgraceful to see that instead of revising their spending on new buildings and a satellite campus halfway across the country, management would rather cut jobs, jeopardize academic standards and destroy terms and hard won conditions.

“If university management does not stop these attacks on staff, they will face unprecedented disruption.”

According to the UCU, 87% of members who voted supported industrial action, with a turnout of 53%.

Dates for the walkouts will be announced “in due course,” the union said.

The university said it would do “everything possible” to avoid any compulsory redundancies and would continue to engage with union representatives.

A spokesman added: “We are disappointed that the UCU has voted to take action.

“Our priority during any industrial action will be to do everything we can to minimize the impact on our students and the wider community.”

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